Painted Roses

The Play Castle

"Are you sure this is a good idea, Miss?" Joshua asked the next day as he and Rosalia treked through the forest on horseback, following a path that might have been an actual path a hundred years ago but was now more of a memory.

"Of course I don't think this is a good idea," Rosalia said, pushing her hood back from her face to look at him, "If I thought it was a good idea, I would have told Beldon."

Joshua glared at her and she smiled.

"Don't worry so much, we're not alone this time." She pointed over her shoulder at the four other young men who were travelling with them, other servants of Rose Castle, including one of Beldon's personal men – Julius, the one who had found her in the first place.

Beldon had left that morning to go back to school none the wiser. Luka had gone with him, to see him off as far as town. He would return in the evening and Rosalia was due to dine with him that night. She'd never dined alone with him but she knew he cared for punctuality – and she knew her being on time would ease his worry.

He couldn't go with her, Beldon would have been suspicious that they were plotting something if Luka – a man of routine – didn't follow routine and join him, so they'd agreed on dinner.

"And you needn't have come. In fact I still worry about you joining us, after last time," Rosalia continued.

"Well I could hardly let you go alone," Joshua said.

"I'm hardly alone," Rosalia replied.

"You'll just have to forgive me for worrying."

Rosalia rolled her eyes and followed as Julius took the lead and led them deeper into the forest.

~~~

The ruins weren't quite as awful as she remembered them but that probably wasn't surprising seeing as she wasn't running for her life this time.

They were still old and broken but the stone was a warm sandy colour, flowers, foliage and vines grew up the walls, wrapping around chipped and broken statues of animals and goddesses.

As soon as they arrived, she left the men do set up the picnic that had been prepared for them and went straight for the well on the edge of the wild gardens, through the broken archway, looking around it, pushing the brilliant spring flowers aside, peering into the dark watery depths.

Nothing.

The Frog wasn't there.

He hadn't returned the night before.

She hadn't heard from him.

She didn't know where he was.

She sank down by the edge of the well, looking down at her reflection, sighing slightly, watching the ripples distort her face. She hoped he would be alright, wherever he was.

After a while, she looked towards the castle itself. A moment's hesitation was all it took before she got to her feet, called over to the men so they knew her intentions, then walked to the exposed steps she had climbed the night of her escape and ascended, stepping into the grand hallway that had kept her safe.

Making her way through the castle, she walked deeper and deeper into a world of crumbling rocks, wild plant life, endless shadows and dust as far as the eye could see.

And yet, under it all, she could imagine the incredible beauty of the place.

Luka may have called if a play castle, but it was as real as any castle she had ever seen. It may have belonged to children, but the balls that had probably been hosted here would have been magnificent. Under all the dirt, she could still see the rich red carpets, the golden walls, the stain glass and intricately carved doors.